8 Accessories for Architecture Photography

Architectural photography can be a long game, waiting for the light to perfectly hit the side of a building.

This list of accessories for architecture photography will make sure that then when the time comes, you will be ready to take the perfect shot.

Hot shoe bubble level

This is a great little gadget which slots straight into the hot shoe on your camera and is a must if your tripod doesn’t have bubble levels to ensure that your camera is level.

There is nothing worse than starting an edit on some images only to realise that all your vertical lines aren’t straight.

Having this on your camera could save you ages in post-production.

ND filter

Neutral density filters come in a range of different options to suit most problems you will come across in your architecture photography.

Your first decision is if you want an ND filter which will fit to the front of your lens similar to this one:

Or, if you plan on using a combination of filters then you can opt for one like this Lee filter holder:

It comes in a little bit more expensive, but it may be the best bet for you as it allows you to stack filters and also rotate them – which comes in handy if you’re using graduated filters.

Which brings us onto the second choice you have when using ND filters. There are two main types – a solid neutral density filter will apply the same amount of light filtration i.e. 1 stop across the whole image or you can choose a graduated filter which will only apply the filtration to a certain part of the image, which is usually graduated from the top to the bottom.

This is where having a filter holder can be great, as it allows you to turn the grad to cover a certain part of your image. So, if your horizon isn’t quite straight or if you want to block off light down the side of a building, this is the best way to do it.

Circular polarising filter

A polarising filter would always be in my bag for an architectural shoot. It blocks polarised light (light travelling in a single plane) from coming into your lens.

They’re great for cutting out unwanted reflected light and haze in a subject, creating a really crisp image which is rich in colour and contrast.

If you think a polariser would be a handy addition to your architectural photography arsenal and want to know a little bit more on how to use them, check out my how to use a circular polariser post.

Cable release

A cable or trigger release is a really cheap and handy way to trigger your camera without touching it.

If you’re using long exposures, which is highly likely with architectural photography, and your camera is on a tripod then every little movement you make will affect how stable the tripod is and decrease your image quality.

Cam Ranger

Architecture photography is often a game of patience and you can sometimes spend hours after you have got your camera in position just waiting for the light to change or moving props around the frame looking for that perfect picture.

Using a Cam Ranger allows you to use the live view on your camera through your tablet or phone, so you don’t have to go back to the camera to check how things look. This not only saves you time but also gives you a larger screen to work with and helps people act more relaxed around the camera if you’re not constantly having to look through it.

Tripod

A good tripod is one of the most important things you can buy for your architectural photography.

A lot of the time you are going to need to use a tripod to achieve the shutter speeds that you need and having a strong base underneath your camera is essential.

Lighting

Lighting is something which may not spring to mind when thinking about architectural photography, but it can form an important part of certain shoots.

Having a portable lighting system with enough power to light a large scene in specific places can be the difference between getting an amazing shot and getting something which may take you hours to achieve in Photoshop.